[labnetwork] Inquiry about any disposable glove recycling programs currently implemented by any labs

[Rachel Schoeppner]

Good Afternoon and Happy Monday!

 
I am looking into developing a recycling program for uncontaminated disposable gloves that my facility goes through in abundant quantities, with the eventual goal of expanding to similar labs on campus. It has become glaringly obvious that our facility, and ones like ours, use a vast number of gloves that just end up in a landfill to decompose over the course of many years to decades. I am hoping to start working to divert this waste stream and recycle as many gloves as we can by starting a disposable glove recycling program here at UCSB.



So as I am starting to gather data and more information about the best way to go about this, I was wondering if any of your labs have looked into similar initiatives that have been or are currently successful. If so, I would be very interested to know how these programs were started, what companies you might go through for the recycling since most public recycling centers do not process these types of plastics, and any ideas for how to make the program financially viable (break-even, not turn a profit) rather than a drain on resources, which could lead to the eventual failure of the program.



Thanks so much for your time!



All the best,

 
Rachel


—                                                    

Rachel Schoeppner, Ph.D

Nanostructure Cleanroom Facility Manager
California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI)
University of California, Santa Barbara
rlschoeppner at ucsb.edu <mailto:rlschoeppner at ucsb.edu>
rachel at cnsi.ucsb.edu <mailto:rachel at cnsi.ucsb.edu>
(805)893-2296











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